Process for de-inking printed waste paper



PROCESS FOR DE-INKING PRINTED WASTE PAPER Filled July 19; 194e INVENTORS William d Krn d El Zy- NnrmanHaEkErn-Lan PROCESS FOR DE-lNKING PRINTED WASTE PAPER William J. Krodel, CorpusChristi, and Norman Hackermau, Austin, Tex.; said I-Iackermaul assignor to said Krodel Application July 19, 19.48, Serial No. 39,428

Z Claims.'k (Cl. 921.5)

This invention relates -to a process of de-inking waste paper, and particularly Waste newspaper stock.

. Many dilferent processes have been proposed for deinking waste newspapers so that the paper may be rendered into a pulp for re-use in forming paper or other cellulosic products. These known processes, however, are expensive, laborious, time-.consuming and complicated.

Therefore, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a process for de-inking waste paper that is capable of producing a better result, but, nevertheless, reduces the amountand number of materials employed, the time and cost of operation, and the labor and equipment required.

It is another object of the yinvention to provide a process for de-inking waste paper .that produces a pulp equal in color, brightness and 'strengthto that of the original Pulp. A 1 Y It is a further object of theinvention to provide a process for de-inking waste paper that comprises simplicity of organization, economy of requirements; efliciency of operation and superiority of result. y, .i

The foregoing objects andothers ancillary thereto are preferably accomplished bythe present process, which comprises introducing `shredded paper into substantially chemically free water, addingaasuitable detergent to loosen the ink binderand emulsifythe ink particles, adding a salt which will charge the cellulose and ink particles at like polarities but tol a decidedly different extent to effect at least a partial separation of the ink from the cellulose, heating and agitating the suspensiongto bring about the separation induced by the salt, then directing 2,743,178 Patented Apr. 24, 1956 cent. The water used throughout the process must be substantially free from impurities, and, if necessary, should be subjected to a zeolite treatment, or to any one of a number of methods designed to remove most effectively 4impurities from water.

The paper-water mix is then passed through a settling trough where any foreign matter present can be removed. Thereafter, the paper-water mix may be thickened, having a stock consistency of from one to four percent by weight, and preferably in the neighborhood of 1.5%. This paper stock `is then fed into the reactor.

-an electric current through ythe suspension to increase the t separation of the cellulose and ink particles, lthen removing from the cellulose fibers the Water, and with it the emulsifed ink particles, and thereafter washing, acid bleaching, and again washing the pulp.

In-the drawings:

lFigure 1 is a flow sheet diagramming the process accordy ing Vto the invention. V

Figure 2 is a graph Villustratingy the charging Iof .the cellulose fibers and ink particles by the use of a specic salt, and n Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of 'a lsuitable reactor apparatus. v According to the present invention, the de-inking process is adapted to produce lde-'inked newspaper stock of such quality that said stock may be re-usedfor newsprint, for the making of rayon, or for other purposes wherein a clean cellulose pulp is employed.

The process, as illustrated by the ilow sheet of Figure l, begins with shredding the lwaste paper, particularly waste newsprint, which may be accomplished by any of the several methods now used in the paper industry' for abatch cooking process. The paper is rst freed of objectionable trash, if found to be present. .Y The process will be expedited by shredding to small particle sizes. j

Water `is lthen added to the shredded paper-to forma mixture having a stock consistency not less than one per A detergent is then added vto the paper-water mix. For soft Water, the detergent is added preferably to the amount of 1% of the weight of the paper, although from 0.25- 5.0% detergent based on the dry weight of the paper may be used. For hard Water, additionalr detergent may be added to olset the effects thereof. It must be of such a character that, atV the temperature maintained, it will remain completely dispersed entirely through the mix and will not rise to the surface to cause or aid foaming at any temperature within the range employed. The detergent :serves two purposes; namely, to loosen the ink binder, and to emulsify the ink particles after their separation from the paper so that the ink particles will be separated from the pulp by washing.

One example of a suitable `detergent is C-cetyl betaine, an internal quaternary ammonium salt of amino acid derivative of cetyl alcohol. Other detergents, such as sulfonated esters of C16-C18 alcohols might be used, as Well as amino acid derivatives of such alcohols. In general, any organic chemical which will tend to suitably suspend inkparticles in a water solution of paper at a temperature not overy 195 F. or under 150 F. may be used.

y It has been found, according to the invention, that pulp and ink particles acquire -electrostatic charges in certain aqueous electrolyte solutions, and therefore, a sui-table salt is then added to the mixture in such amounts that it will cause the cellulose and ink particles to acquire electrostatic charges of like sign, but differing greatly in magnitude. The type and extent of charge on the particles are functions of the nature and concentration of the electrolyte. ,When unlike charges are induced, bonding of the ink to the cellulose fibers occurs and theirseparation is not accomplished.

Therefore, the particles must possess like charges of different magnitude, and to operate effectively, the magnitude of the charges must differ greatly. 'It is the purpose of this process to use anyone of a number of `suitable salts in such an amount that the electrostatic relation between the particles will becomerepellent in nature. it has been found, as a feature of the invention, that in electrophoretic experiments with cellulose bers and'ink particles in different aqueous electrolyte solutions at diifep ent concentrations, that highly repellent charges could be induced to thereby bring about a separation of the ink from the cellulose. The cellulose bersgenerally acquired small positive or negative charges in the same systems in which the ink particles acquired highly positive or negative charges. 1

After the salt has been added to the paper-water mix containing the detergent, the slurry is agitated and heated for a period of from 1/2 to 2 hours, generally for one hour. The mix should be kept at a temperature of from ISO-190 F. and should be at atmospheric or slightly elevated pressure.v In this debering and cooking operation, the ink particles are repelledfrom the cellulose fibers, and these ink particles Vthen become emulsied by the detergent, and for this vreasonremain inthe water apart from the cellulose iibers.

Any salt that will produce charges on the fiber and the ink'particle which are widely different in magnitude can be used. In general, the salt that is employed may be lone-that-willionize so that tervalent or higher valent ions Iarey formed, -and -those `used lin this. .process .arethose which give ions of a valence of three or greater. Compounds of either the rare `earth elements or of the more common elements can beused. Forexample, such a salt could be any one of the following? Na4P2O1, Na3PO4, NaG(PO3)s, Ce'(N03)a, Th(NO3)3, ",I`h('NO3)4, VOI' K`4Fe(CN). By` the use of such salts, highly repellent charges can be induced in the ink particles and-cellulose fibers, the etfect being based on electrophoretic phenomena.

In selecting'the salt to be used to impart the electrostatic charges to the ink particlesand cellulose tibers, and to determine the quantity of this salt to be used,j the `zeta potential resulting fronrthissalt is measured. This is based uponthe widely accepted theory that a double layer exists atthe solid-liquid interface of solids in an electrolyte. This theory-postulates a layer xed tothe solid which is only a single ion in thicknessand across which thereis aA sharp potentialv drop; and a second diffuse-layer containing an excess concentration of vions opposite in charge to that on the surface of the solid. The effective Acharge upon the solid appears to be dueto the .potential across this diuse second layer.

On supplying -an electrical tield to such charged solid particles suspended in an electrolyte, the particles move with respect to the electrolyte and the rate is a measure of the .potential drop between the liquid and the iixed layer. This potential drop is referred to as the zeta potential and by measuring the rate of movement of such a charged solid particle in an electrolyte, the Zeta potential of that solid isy determined for the particular electrolyte atthatconcentration. In this manner, the zeta 4potential of the-ink particles and the zeta potential of the cellulose berscan be measured for different saltsat different concentrations. A comparison `of these results will-show whether asufficiently great zeta potential rdifference will exist between the ink particles and cellulose fibers to make their separation practical in this medium.

` The experiments leading to this invention showed that for practical considerations, the zeta potential of the ink particles is represented by the equation:

Eintr 5 mk paitncles- HD and that the zeta potential of the cellulose bersis represented by the equation:

4mm HD cellulose bre:

Since the electrolyte solutions used are dilute, it is practical to use the values of 1; and D for bulk water'at the sametemperature in making the calculations. vThe equipment to be used for measuring the mobility of the inl; particles and cellulose bers may conveniently be that described in the article Bendien and` lanssemRecueil des Travaux Chimiques, 46, 739 (1927). 4The procedure outlined in this article maybe `followed andthe data obtained may be substituted in the above equations to calculate the zeta potentials of the ink particles and the cellulose fibers.

As these experiments and calculations may be Veasily conducted, a'determination-can be made in a short time as to whether `the salt,at a certainconcentration, will produce the desired difference in zeta potentials of the ink particles and cellulose fibers.` rIt is `desirable that 'the salt and its concentration whichis used give the greatest possible diiference between the zeta potentials, as this `will4 effect a more rapid and more thorough separation between v`.theink particles -andthe. cellulose bers. `For example,

potentials of -80 millivolts and -8 millivolts respec ively, or of plus 80 and plus 8 millivolts will effect an excellent separation. Likewise, potentials of --40 millivolts and 4 millivolts respectively, or of +40 and +4 millivolts, will etect a rapid and etective separation. To obtain satisfactory results from a practicalA standpoint, zeta potential of the one should be at least four times greater than the zeta potential of the other, and there appears to be no maximum difference.

For example, employing NaaPO4 as an illustration -and referring to Figure 2, at a certain salt concentration, the sodiuml (Na) ionimay be adsorbed .in .preference to POiEion or vice versa, and the cellulose may have a small negative electrostatic charge, while the ink particle may have a large negative electrostatic charge. lf the charges ,are close together or opposite in nature, as for instance, cellulose -ior 8.0 millivolts and ink or 10.0 millivolts;theseparation of the ,particles is not feasible. "However, `de-inking occurs when the charges are of'the same sign but far apart, as for instance, cellulose or 8.0 millivolts and ink -lyor ,-80.0 millivolts. Referring toFigure 2, it will be seen that, according to this graph, the best de-inking range for Na3PO4 would be in' the range of 0.06 molal concentration. "During the cooking period, the mixture is continually agitated to elect` defibration of the paper stock. As thecooking Vand agitating proceeds, some of the ink particles and any other foreign matter are separated from the fibers and are emulsiiied, forming a scum which rises to the top of the mixture. The cooking is stopped when no further apparent visible change in appearance in the stock suspension occurs. At this point,l the water in the mixture should be highly d iscolored because of the `presenceof dirt fromv the paperstock and from the emulsied ink Aparticles suspended in solution.

When the cooking processV is completed, the scum is removed from the top of the mixtureland electrodes are immersed in .the mixture while the agitation is continued. Preferably, the electrode of ypolarity opposite to that of the ink particles has a large surface area.` An electric current is passed Abetween the electrodes for a period not exceeding-thirty minutes or until the yseparation of the ink particles from thecellulose tibers substantially ceases. A period of labout ten to fifteen minutes will ordinarily sutice, although this will of course depend upon the impressed-voltage.

The arnounttof current passed between the electrodes is necessarilysmalL the voltage drop` across the electrodes being'the-important factor.V In actual use, a voltage drop of approximately 1.8 to 2.4 volts per inch Awas found to bemost feicient. 'The voltage must be limited so that i, little electrolysis occurs but-must` be sufficient to'elfect separation of the ink particles which still remain close tothe'fbersafter the cooking phase.V In connection with the electrical treatment, the turbulence of ow for the mix is suclr that no net migrationof the cellulose fibers L occurs.

The impressed voltage appears to cause `an enforced diffusion process lby which the ink particles are impelled away frornthe cellulose fibers. The detergent loosens theink'binderfand emulsifies any ink particles separated from. thepapertfibers. The ink and cellulose particles Emulsication yoffthe coagulated lparticles follows, and

they are'dispersed throughout the solution.

After the electrical treatment, the scum is again removed 'and thereafter the water is drained away from the cellulose fibers. It is important to here observeV that it is not essential to the practice of the invention that the electrical treatment be used. It will often be found .that because of the nature of the ink particles or the paper stock, or both, that the cooking and agitating treatment will alone be effective to ysutliciently separate the ink particles from the paper fibers. If at the end of the heating step an inspection shows that an undesirable amount of inkl remains adhering, the electrical treatment can then be used to eiect a nal and more vcomplete separation.

Upon completion of the cooking step or of the electric treatment, if the latter is used, the liquid, or dirty-water is drained from the pulp which is then washed repeatedly until the ink particles have been substantially removed from the pulp. The pulp or stock is then immersed in an acid bath which removes any adsorbed ions that discolor the tbers and a' denite degree of brightness is obtained thereby. Whereas an` alkaline bath causes yellowing, it has been found that an acid bath is highly effective. Any acids may be employed, for example, chlorine in water, dilute hydrochloric acid or dilute acetic acid, the degree of dilution of the acid bath being determined by the effectual `removal of theadsorbed ions] The stock is thickened and rinsed immediately after the acid bath, as otherwise, the removed ions may be re-adsorbed again by the fibers. The stock is thendiluted to a suitable consistency preparatory to going on the wet end of a paper making machine. A suitable apparatus for carrying out the de-inking process is illustrated in Figure 3. The receptacle 1 is surrounded with a jacket 2, through which steam is passed to maintain they contents of the receptacle at the desired elevated temperature To conserve steam, a layer of insulation 3 is disposed on the outside of the steam jacket. It will be apparent that the receptacle 1 may be heated directly by a arne or hot gases, if desired.

Within the receptacle is a vertical stirrer 4 and this may have any appropriate shape which will agitate the contents, as, for example, it need not be of the rotary type shown. It is preferable that baffle plates 5 be attached to the interior of receptacle 1 to assist the agitating action. A cover 6 should be provided to retain heat in the receptacle.

The stirrer 4 should be made of metal so that it can serve as one electrode for the electric current. The other electrode may be either one o1- more of the baiies 5 or may be the receptacle itself if made of metal. Suitable electrical connections may be made to these electrodes.

In carrying out the process, water is iirst poured in the receptacle and then the shredded paper is added. Thereafter ythe detergent and then the selected salt is added. After agitation by stirrer 4 and the supply of heat by steam jacket 2 has been maintained for a proper period of time, the stirrer 4 is stopped and the scum is removed. If the use of electric current to effect further separation appears necessary, the electrical connection to the electrodes is made and the movement of the stirrer is continued. At the end of the designated time, the current and stirrer are stopped, the water is drained oif, and the pulp is recovered.`

Instead of utilizing the same receptacle for the entire processing, it will be understood that the separate steps of debering, cooking and electrical treatment may be carried out in separate receptacles, or a conjunction of treatments may be employed, each treatment or treatments most suitable for each step.

As examples of the process, the following procedure was followed; The de-inking was carried out in batch lots using for each batch 12 liters of distilled water, 200 grams of waste newspaper, 2 Ygrams of a sulfonated ester of a mixture of C16-Cla alcohols and a suitable salt. The water was added to the kettle iirst, then the hand-shredded waste newspaper, the detergent, and nally the salt. The table below lists the type of salt, the quantity added, and

"6 the type of treatment undergone by the waste newspaper in each experiment.

Experiment Salt ,Y ('(gllgy f .Type of Treatment N :1419201 8. 0 Cooking and agitation. Na4P201 8.0 #l plus 45 Volt D-C. KlFe CN 21.1 Cooking andfagitation. K4Fe(CN)a.. 21. 1 #2Aplus 45 volt D-C. K4Fe(CN)e.. 21.1 #2B plus dilute acid. Naa(POa)a 19. 0 Cooking and agitation. au(POa 19.0 #3A plus 45 voit D-C. Nan(POa)s... 19.0 #3B plus dilute acid.

The temperature of the mixture was regulated by ythe quantity of steam allowed to pass through the jacket of the kettle, and varied from 75 to 90 centigrade. After cooking for one hour, with stirring, the pulp was strained and washed on a 45 mesh wire screen.

In several experiments a D. C. voltage was impressed across the mixture in the kettle by immersion of suitable electrodes. A 45 volt B battery was used as the source.

Handsheets were made by using a suction ask with a large Buchner funnel. The washed pulp was diluted and measured out in the quantities necessary to form a handsheet of a vdesired density. The paper pulp suspension was poured over iilter paper placed in the funnel where it formed a webbed mat as the water was carried away by suction filtration. The mat was then lifted out and pressed between sheets of blotter paper. Five handsheets were made from each experimental batch. In some cases, the washed pulp was immersed in diluteacid to remove discoloration produced by adsorption of certain ions, rewashed, and formed into handsheets.

In order to provide a basis of comparison for the handsheets, the following method was devised. A 200 watt, volt Mazda projection lamp was used as a source of illumination. The light was focused on the handsheets which were centimeters distant. n The intensity of the incident beam at an angle of v35 from the normal gave a reading of 270 foot candles on a Weston Photronic Foot Candle Meter. The beam reflected from the handsheet'was measured at an angle of 60 from the incident beam.

The readings in foot candles thus obtained give the magnitude of reflectance from a 2.00 watt projection lamp at a distance of 120 centimeters. All readings are in foot candles. The reectance for unused smooth newsprint was 148 foot candles.

Average Experiment Readings Reading The brightness tests on these experimental handsheets gave the following results:

Handsheet Readings Average 46. 345. 8 46. 0 46. 2-46. 2 46. 2 50. 4-51. 4 5D. 9 52-1-5L 6 51. 8 52. 75l. 8 52. 2

Average G. E. Brightness of l=2.76 foot candle readings obtained experimentally for the handsheets. f

The average brightness for handsheets obtained from unprinted newspaper is 52.2 and it will therefore be-seen that the results obtained by the invention compare quite favorably with new paper stock.

It is appreciated that slight variations in the conditions 7 described herein ymight become necessary `to ,carry out the invention when using the process in `different localities and in different-sized operations, and these departures are intended to come within Athe scope of thel appended claims. For example.t he,.,salt concentration mustrbe adjustedto local conditions, thepurity .of thesalt, .and the `nature of the, wood ,pulp `and its manufacture into newsprint. `ln different localities, the` water supply will receive diferentpurifying treatments .andwill contain; local-minerals, and these factors willaffect vthe process to some extent.

What we yclairn is:

1. The process of de-inking printed material which comprises forming an aqueous slurry of printed and shredded waste newsprint stock Lrnaterial, .then adding to the `slurry a water soluble salt yielding an ion having a valency of at least 4, to thereby induce a zeta potential of the same charged sign as the ink particles and which differs from that of similarly charged particles of -the material by a factor of at least 4, to thereby eiect a substantial separation of the inkparticles from the material particles; then adding to the resultant mass ay detergent of a suitable type to emulsify the separated ink par ticlcs and retain them in suspension and separated from the material particles; then subjecting such mass to a temperature of 150190 F. for a period of 1/2-2 hours and `agitating the mass during said period; and then removing the separated ink particles from the slurry and mass with the water.

2. The process of de-inking printed material which comprises forming an aqueous slurry .of printedrand shredded waste newsprint stock material, then adding to the slurry a water soluble salt yielding an ion having a valency of at least 4, to thereby induce a vzetapotential of the same charged sign as the ink particles and which x8 diifersxfrom that of similarly charged particlesothe material `by a `factor of at least 4, to thereby effect a substantial separation of the .ink particles from the .material particles, thenadding to the resultantmass adetergent ,of a suitable type to emulsifythe separated particles and retain them in suspension and separated from the material particles; then subjecting such mass to a temperature of -190" F. for a period of 1/2-2 hours .and agitating the mass `during said period; dren applying toelectrodes in contact with such mass an imposed electric potential diierence approximating 1.8 to .4 yvolts per inch of linear distance between said electrodes, and withoutl permitting electrolysis and to substantially. complete the separation of the ink particles frornthe material bers; ,and then removing the separated .ink particles from the slurry and mass withithe water.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,008,779 Bonser Nov. 14, 19l1 1,925,372 Darling Sept. 5, 1933 1,933,2 28 Snyder et al Oct. 31, 1933 1,988,363 Snyder Jan. 15, 1935 FOREIGN` PATENTS 506,472 `Great Britain May 30, 1938 OTHER REFERENCES Ellis: Printing Inks, published by lReinhold PubrCorp., New York (1940), pp. 480-483.

`Deinking of` Paper by West, published by Institute of Paper Chemistry, Appleton,.Wis. (April 1943), pp. 5-9, 27, .B2-34, 43. 

1. THE PROCESS OF DE-INKING PRINTED MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES FORMING AN AQUEOUS SLURRY OF PRINTED AND SHREDDED WASTE NEWSPRINT STOCK MATERIAL, THEN ADDING TO THE SLURRY A WATER SOLUBLE SALT YIELDING AN ION HAVING A VALENCY OF AT LEAST 4, TO THEREBY INDUCED A ZETA POTENTIAL OF THE SAME CHARGE SIGN AS THE INK PARTICLES AND WHICH DIFFERS FROM THAT OF SIMILARLY CHARGED PARTICLES OF THE MATERIAL BY A FACTOR OF AT LEAST4, TO THEREBY EFFECT A SUBSTANTIAL SEPARATION OF THE INK PARTICLES FROM THE MATERIAL PARTICLES; THEN ADDING TO THE RESULTANT MASS A DETERGENT OF A SUITABLE TYPE TO EMULSIFY THE SEPARATED INK PARTICLES AND RETAIN THEM IN SUSPENSION AND SEPARATED FROM THE MATERIAL PARTICLES; THEN SUBJECTING SUCH MASS TO A TEMPERATURE OF 150-190* F. FOR A PERIOD OF 1/2-2 HOURS AND AGITATING THE MASS DURING SAID PERIOD; AND THEN REMOVING THE SEPARATED INK PARTICLES FROM THE SLURRY AND MASS WITH THE WATER. 